Record-breaking crowds continue at DuPont

Lisa and Ezra Danciu, visiting from California, hike to the base of High Falls in DuPont State Recreational Forest on Wednesday. More than 300,000 people visited the park this year setting an attendance record.

Published: Thursday, November 29, 2012 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, November 28, 2012 at 6:32 p.m.

The number of visitors to DuPont State Recreational Forest this year hit 327,000 at the end of October, a historical high, and forest officials said attendance shows no sign of easing up anytime soon.

“People have really discovered this place,” said Forest Supervisor David Brown, who estimated that visitation has tripled since rangers first started tracking it in 2002. “In November, it has stayed pretty steady, except on colder days.”

Last year, roughly 250,000 people visited the forest. Since then, publicity surrounding its mountain biking trails, waterfalls and role in the filming of the popular “Hunger Games” movie has drawn thousands more.

Initial results of a 2012 exit poll conducted by DuPont rangers showed half of roughly 900 visitors surveyed were from North Carolina, 21 percent from South Carolina, 9 percent from Florida and 5 percent from Georgia, Brown said.

But Brown was surprised to find that about 2 percent of DuPont visitors were from California, while other groups came from as far away as China, Great Britain and the Ukraine.

“I think that's one reason the visitation continues to go up,” Brown said. “There's still a lot of people discovering DuPont, and it has become a major destination for North Carolina.”

About 40 percent of visitors polled came to hike the forest's 82 miles of hiking trails and multi-use roads, while 26 percent came to view some of its six major waterfalls. Roughly 19 percent came to mountain bike, an increasing draw since DuPont was featured in January on the cover of BIKE magazine.

The March premiere of “The Hunger Games” — and subsequent DVD release in August — lured hundreds more visitors hoping to see where star Jennifer Lawrence, who played “Katniss,” crossed Triple Falls and plunged into a pool below Bridal Veil Falls.

Brevard-based Hunger Games Fan Tours sold out all of its main-season events and were half-full for November, a pleasant surprise for co-owner Tammy Hopkins. Bookings for 2013 tours have already begun filling up, she said, “and we haven't even started advertising them yet.”

“We just got the dates and we've already pre-sold the weekend adventure tours because so many grandmas are calling up looking for Christmas presents,” Hopkins said.

A second movie, “Hunger Games: Catching Fire,” will wrap up filming next month in Hawaii after shooting scenes this fall near Atlanta. Hopkins predicts interest in the filming locations — including DuPont — will remain strong among “Hunger Games” fans for years to come.

“Think about Star War fans, Harry Potter fans and Trekkies,” she said. “They will always be fans, even after the last movie comes out.”

While good for tourism-related businesses, increased visitation at DuPont isn't without its downsides. Brown said growing pains at the forest include damage to stream banks and trails from heavy foot traffic, parking lots that regularly overflow onto roadsides and greater numbers of accidents.

In 2006, the forest recorded 20 incidents such as lost hikers, injured tourists and car accidents. In the first eight months of this year alone, there were double that amount, including 13 traumas and five search and rescues.

Three DuPont parking lots — Hooker Falls, High Falls and Fawn Lake — handle 78 percent of visitor vehicles, according to rangers. Hundreds of vehicles line Staton Road on weekends when Hooker Falls is full, creating safety hazards for pedestrians.

A $600,000 project to build a pedestrian bridge across the Little River from the Hooker Falls lot will expand parking there, Brown said. The N.C. Board of Transportation approved the project Oct. 4, but Brown said he doesn't foresee it “adding enough spaces to absorb all the overflow.”

The added visitation has put extra demands on the forest's eight workers, too. Brown recently requested a second temporary staff member to man a new welcome center set to open July 1. Two staff positions will be vacant in early 2013, adding to the workload.

“We're definitely understaffed, in my opinion, but the prospects of getting additional staff aren't real good right now,” he said. “We'll get by.”

<p>The number of visitors to DuPont State Recreational Forest this year hit 327,000 at the end of October, a historical high, and forest officials said attendance shows no sign of easing up anytime soon.</p><p>“People have really discovered this place,” said Forest Supervisor David Brown, who estimated that visitation has tripled since rangers first started tracking it in 2002. “In November, it has stayed pretty steady, except on colder days.”</p><p>Last year, roughly 250,000 people visited the forest. Since then, publicity surrounding its mountain biking trails, waterfalls and role in the filming of the popular “Hunger Games” movie has drawn thousands more.</p><p>Initial results of a 2012 exit poll conducted by DuPont rangers showed half of roughly 900 visitors surveyed were from North Carolina, 21 percent from South Carolina, 9 percent from Florida and 5 percent from Georgia, Brown said.</p><p>But Brown was surprised to find that about 2 percent of DuPont visitors were from California, while other groups came from as far away as China, Great Britain and the Ukraine. </p><p>“I think that's one reason the visitation continues to go up,” Brown said. “There's still a lot of people discovering DuPont, and it has become a major destination for North Carolina.” </p><p>About 40 percent of visitors polled came to hike the forest's 82 miles of hiking trails and multi-use roads, while 26 percent came to view some of its six major waterfalls. Roughly 19 percent came to mountain bike, an increasing draw since DuPont was featured in January on the cover of BIKE magazine. </p><p>The March premiere of “The Hunger Games” — and subsequent DVD release in August — lured hundreds more visitors hoping to see where star Jennifer Lawrence, who played “Katniss,” crossed Triple Falls and plunged into a pool below Bridal Veil Falls.</p><p>Brevard-based Hunger Games Fan Tours sold out all of its main-season events and were half-full for November, a pleasant surprise for co-owner Tammy Hopkins. Bookings for 2013 tours have already begun filling up, she said, “and we haven't even started advertising them yet.”</p><p>“We just got the dates and we've already pre-sold the weekend adventure tours because so many grandmas are calling up looking for Christmas presents,” Hopkins said.</p><p>A second movie, “Hunger Games: Catching Fire,” will wrap up filming next month in Hawaii after shooting scenes this fall near Atlanta. Hopkins predicts interest in the filming locations — including DuPont — will remain strong among “Hunger Games” fans for years to come. </p><p>“Think about Star War fans, Harry Potter fans and Trekkies,” she said. “They will always be fans, even after the last movie comes out.” </p><p>While good for tourism-related businesses, increased visitation at DuPont isn't without its downsides. Brown said growing pains at the forest include damage to stream banks and trails from heavy foot traffic, parking lots that regularly overflow onto roadsides and greater numbers of accidents.</p><p>In 2006, the forest recorded 20 incidents such as lost hikers, injured tourists and car accidents. In the first eight months of this year alone, there were double that amount, including 13 traumas and five search and rescues.</p><p>Three DuPont parking lots — Hooker Falls, High Falls and Fawn Lake — handle 78 percent of visitor vehicles, according to rangers. Hundreds of vehicles line Staton Road on weekends when Hooker Falls is full, creating safety hazards for pedestrians.</p><p>A $600,000 project to build a pedestrian bridge across the Little River from the Hooker Falls lot will expand parking there, Brown said. The N.C. Board of Transportation approved the project Oct. 4, but Brown said he doesn't foresee it “adding enough spaces to absorb all the overflow.” </p><p>The added visitation has put extra demands on the forest's eight workers, too. Brown recently requested a second temporary staff member to man a new welcome center set to open July 1. Two staff positions will be vacant in early 2013, adding to the workload.</p><p>“We're definitely understaffed, in my opinion, but the prospects of getting additional staff aren't real good right now,” he said. “We'll get by.”</p><p>Reach Axtell at 828-694-7860 or than.axtell@blueridgenow.com.</p>